The Hockey Nuts Podcast, Season 1, Episode 37 is live!

Coming up on this episode of the Hockey Nuts, Steve and I get you caught up with all of the action in Round 1 of the NHL Playoffs, and we look ahead to Round 2. We’ll break it down series by series. We will also get you caught up with all of the announcements on finalists for the individual awards. We’ll discuss all of the other headlines of the week in a busy week of action around the hockey world. We’ll have all the details, plus our picks of the week, coming up next!
THN Episode 37 Show Notes

This show is a labor of love for us, but it does cost us money each month to produce. So, we are exploring options to allow you, our listener, to help us cover the costs of producing it. For starters, we have set up affiliate relationships with a couple companies. In the future, we may have more, but for now, you can support us through your purchases at Amazon.com and HockeyMonkey.com (Hockey Monkey is a hockey equipment provider). Your purchases there will not cost you a dime more, but a small percentage of your purchase will come back to us. In order to support us through our affiliates, simply go to our web site at TheHockeyNuts.com, and click on the appropriate affiliate link on the right side of the page. Coming soon: Seatgeek.com

Additionally, we are looking at ways to directly support us through a donation program. For now, if you would like to donate, go to thehockeynuts.com/donate and you will redirected to paypal.

Finally, if you can’t support us financially through one of the programs we just mentioned, you can support us through the following:

Share our show with other hockey fans you know.

If you have the itunes app on your computer or device, subcribe to our show there. It will help us rise up the rankings.

Speaking of itunes, we also encourage you to give us a review on itunes, as it will also help us get noticed more there.

Like, comment, and share our content wherever you see us on various social media pages.

Get involved with the show! We are just a couple hockey fans, and we love interacting with the audience.

Finally, we are looking for guest hosts to come on from time to time. If you feel you can provide more insight on your favorite team or league than we are, let us know! All you would need to join the show is a computer and Skype.

Travis Green is finalizing a contract to be the next coach of the Vancouver Canucks, TSN reported Tuesday. The Canucks announced they will name their coach during a press conference Wednesday. Willie Desjardins was fired as coach April 10. Green, 46, has coached Utica, the Canucks’ American Hockey League affiliate, for the past four seasons; he is 155-110-27-12 in 304 games. Utica reached the Calder Cup Playoffs twice, including the final in 2015, where it lost to Manchester, the Los Angeles Kings’ affiliate, in five games.

DefensemanDennis Seidenberg agreed to terms on a one-year contract to remain with the New York Islanders on Monday. Financial terms were not released, but Newsday reported Seidenberg will receive $1.25 million, a $250,000 raise from this season.

The Los Angeles Kings sent the message that they believe only a short reset is needed to compete for championships again by hiring John Stevens as coach on Sunday. If newly promoted general manager Rob Blake felt a more profound change was required, the Kings would have looked outside the organization, hired a different coach and plotted a different strategy. Instead, they kept the search tightly focused on one inside candidate: Stevens, who’s been part of the Kings’ coaching staff for the past seven seasons. Highly regarded goaltending coach Bill Ranford will return. The Kings will hire at least two other assistants; one will take Stevens’ spot and the other will replace Davis Payne, who is not returning. Stevens has been with the organization since the 2010-11 season. This will be his second extended stint as an NHL coach — he went 2-2-0 with the Kings in December 2010 after Terry Murray was fired and before Darryl Sutter was hired. Stevens also coached the Philadelphia Flyers for parts of four seasons from 2006-09. In 2008, the Flyers reached the Eastern Conference Final before losing to the Pittsburgh Penguins. Stevens also had success at the American Hockey League level; he guided the Philadelphia Phantoms, the Flyers’ top affiliate, to the Calder Cup in 2005. The Kings had a major housecleaning one day after their season ended after missing the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the second time in three seasons. They fired longtime general manager Dean Lombardi and Sutter, the architects of their Stanley Cup championships in 2012 and 2014. Blake was promoted, as was Luc Robitaille, who will oversee the business side and the hockey operations as team president. They’ve been emphatic that the roster does not need a major overhaul, that with nucleus on hand, the Kings should still be competitive.

Coach Dan Bylsma and general manager Tim Murray were fired by the Buffalo Sabres on Thursday after they finished last in the Atlantic Division. “After reviewing the past season and looking at the future of our organization, Kim and I have decided to relieve general manager Tim Murray and head coach Dan Bylsma of their duties,” owner Terry Pegula said in a statement, referring to his wife. “We want to thank Tim and Dan for their hard work and efforts that they have put in during their tenures with the club. We wish them luck. We have begun the process to fill these positions immediately.” Bylsma, 46, was 68-73-23 in two seasons as Sabres coach, including 33-37-12 this season. Bylsma, who has three years remaining on his contract, took over for Ted Nolan on May 28, 2015. He coached the Pittsburgh Penguins for six seasons, including winning the Stanley Cup in 2008-09. Murray, 53, was hired Jan. 9, 2014, after eight seasons as an assistant GM with the Ottawa Senators. Among his moves were hiring Bylsma, selecting forward Jack Eichel with the No. 2 pick in the 2015 NHL Draft, and acquiring forward Evander Kane and defenseman Zach Bogosian in a trade with the Winnipeg Jets on Feb. 11, 2015. Murray, whose original contract with Buffalo ran through this season, signed a multiyear extension in October before the Sabres’ first game. The firings come a day after a Buffalo radio station reported that Eichel told the Sabres he had no desire to sign a contract extension if Bylsma remained coach. Eichel denied that report, telling The Buffalo News his end-of-season interviews with Bylsma and Murray went well and that he wants to stay with Sabres long term. The 20-year-old center is entering the final year of his three-year entry-level contract and can sign an extension beginning July 1. He could become a restricted free agent following next season.

University of Denver coach Jim Montgomery will interview for the Florida Panthers coaching job, he told the Denver Post on Wednesday. Montgomery led Denver to the NCAA championship with a 3-2 victory against Minnesota-Duluth on April 8. Denver finished the season 33-7-4. “I have spoken to Florida and I will meet with Florida over the next week to 10 days,” Montgomery told the newspaper. “The date hasn’t yet been confirmed.” The Panthers, who did not qualify for the Stanley Cup Playoffs, announced April 10 that Tom Rowe would not return as coach. Rowe took over for Gerard Gallant, who was fired Nov. 27. Montgomery, 47, is 102-47-18 in four seasons at Denver, including Frozen Four appearances in 2016 and 2017. He played 122 NHL games with five teams from 1993-94 to 2002-03, finishing with 34 points (nine goals, 25 assists). Montgomery wouldn’t confirm whether he spoke with the Los Angeles Kings, who fired Darryl Sutter on April 10, but said he wouldn’t leave Denver unless it was for an NHL coaching position. He interviewed with the Calgary Flames last summer before they hired Glen Gulutzan. “In life, there are only so many opportunities, and you have to listen,” Montgomery said. “But it’s going to have to take the perfect situation for me to leave Denver. There is no indication from Florida that I’m their No. 1 guy, or No. 2 or No. 3 guy. I’m just going to sit and talk with them.”

Bruce Cassidy has interim tag removed…

Injuries

San Jose Sharks centerJoe Thornton had surgery Monday to repair a torn MCL and ACL in his left knee. Thornton, who was injured April 2 against the Vancouver Canucks, is expected to be ready for the start of the 2017-18 season, the Sharks said Tuesday. Thornton, 37, missed the final three games of the regular season and the first two games of the Stanley Cup Playoffs because of the injury. He returned for Game 3 of the Western Conference First Round against the Edmonton Oilers on April 16. Thornton had two assists in four games, but San Jose was eliminated with a 4-2 series loss.

ForwardMarian Gaborik may not be ready for Los Angeles Kings training camp next season after having his injured left knee repaired. Gaborik had an “in-depth medical procedure for a chronic issue,” the Kings said Tuesday. Training camp would begin in mid-September.

Milestones/Records/Honors/Deaths:

A quick recap of the First Round of the 2017 Stanley Cup Playoffs, with the assistance of the Elias Sports Bureau: Eighteen of the 42 games required overtime (42.9 percent), a record for any round in the history of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. The previous record of 17 overtime games, established in the 2013 opening round, was set in 47 games (36.2 percent). Twenty-eight of the 42 games were decided by one goal (66.7 percent), while another five were decided by two goals following an empty-net score (78.6 percent combined). Only the 2012 Stanley Cup Playoffs featured an opening round with that high of a percentage of one-goal margins, with 32 of 48 games (66.7 percent). Eighteen of the 42 games were tied in the final five minutes of the third period (42.9 percent). Three saw a go-ahead goal scored in the last three minutes of the third, while five featured a tying goal in the final five minutes of the third period (including two in the last 60 seconds). Seventeen of the 42 games saw the winning team overcome a deficit of at least one goal (40.5 percent), including nine featuring multigoal comebacks. Clubs also rallied from third-period deficits of any margin to win eight times.

Suspensions/Fines:

Edmonton Oilers forwardLeon Draisaitl has been fined $2,569.44, the maximum allowable under the Collective Bargaining Agreement, for spearing San Jose Sharks forward Chris Tierney during Game 4 of the teams’ First Round series in San Jose on Tuesday, April 18, the National Hockey League’s Department of Player Safety announced today. The incident occurred at 13:44 of the second period. Draisaitl was assessed a major penalty for spearing and a game misconduct.

Lady Byng Trophy – Calgary Flames left wingJohnny Gaudreau, Minnesota Wild center Mikael Granlundand St. Louis Blues right wing Vladimir Tarasenkoare the three finalists for the 2016-17 Lady Byng Memorial Trophy, which is awarded “to the player adjudged to have exhibited the best type of sportsmanship and gentlemanly conduct combined with a high standard of playing ability,”

Vezina Trophy – Sergei Bobrovskyof the Columbus Blue Jackets, Braden Holtbyof the Washington Capitals and Carey Priceof the Montreal Canadiens are the three finalists for the 2016-17 Vezina Trophy, which is awarded “to the goalkeeper adjudged to be the best at his position,”

Calder Trophy – Toronto Maple Leafs forward Auston Matthews,Winnipeg Jets forward Patrik Laine and Columbus Blue Jackets defenseman Zach Werenski were named finalists for the Calder Trophy on Thursday. The award is given to the best rookie in the NHL.

Norris Trophy – Brent Burns of the San Jose Sharks, Victor Hedman of the Tampa Bay Lightning and Erik Karlsson of the Ottawa Senators are the three finalists for the 2016-17 James Norris Memorial Trophy, which is awarded “to the defense player who demonstrates throughout the season the greatest all-round ability in the position,”

Bill Masterton Trophy – Ottawa Senators goaltender Craig Anderson, Anaheim Ducks forward Andrew Cogliano and Carolina Hurricanes forward Derek Ryan were named finalists for the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy on Monday. The award is given to the player who exemplifies the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship and dedication to hockey.

King Clancy Trophy (player who best exemplifies leadership qualities on and off the ice and has made a noteworthy humanitarian contribution in his community Each team nominated 1 player) –

NHL Foundation Award (an NHL player who applies the core values of hockey — commitment, perseverance and teamwork — to enrich the lives of people in his community.) – Travis Hamonicof the New York Islanders and Wayne Simmonds of the Philadelphia Flyers

This show is a labor of love for us, but it does cost us money each month to produce. So, we are exploring options to allow you, our listener, to help us cover the costs of producing it. For starters, we have set up affiliate relationships with a couple companies. In the future, we may have more, but for now, you can support us through your purchases at Amazon.com and HockeyMonkey.com (Hockey Monkey is a hockey equipment provider). Your purchases there will not cost you a dime more, but a small percentage of your purchase will come back to us. In order to support us through our affiliates, simply go to our web site at TheHockeyNuts.com, and click on the appropriate affiliate link on the right side of the page. Coming soon: Seatgeek.com

Additionally, we are looking at ways to directly support us through a donation program. For now, if you would like to donate, go to thehockeynuts.com/donate and you will redirected to paypal.

Finally, if you can’t support us financially through one of the programs we just mentioned, you can support us through the following:

Share our show with other hockey fans you know.

If you have the itunes app on your computer or device, subcribe to our show there. It will help us rise up the rankings.

Speaking of itunes, we also encourage you to give us a review on itunes, as it will also help us get noticed more there.

Like, comment, and share our content wherever you see us on various social media pages.

Get involved with the show! We are just a couple hockey fans, and we love interacting with the audience.

Finally, we are looking for guest hosts to come on from time to time. If you feel you can provide more insight on your favorite team or league than we are, let us know! All you would need to join the show is a computer and Skype.